


maybe in the next life

by lackystars



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Kinda angsty tbh, M/M, Time Travel Shenanigans, espilver tho
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-04
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:14:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27839695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lackystars/pseuds/lackystars
Summary: On his way back from the grocery store, Espio encounters a silver hedgehog that is freezing to death. He decides to help him out, not knowing that with this single act, the gears of fate begin to turn.Silver has a wish, and makes a deal with the devil to ensure it comes true. To see Espio survive the last day ever.
Relationships: Espio the Chameleon/Silver the Hedgehog
Comments: 19
Kudos: 12





	1. december 21st

That day, it was raining. It fell in heavy sheets, splattering against the hard ground. Howling wind accompanied the dissonant beat, physically pushing against the chameleon. The sky above was a dark grey, the monotony pierced by a flash of lightning, growling with a roar that almost shook the earth itself. Espio had given up on trying to wrestle his cheap umbrella into a semblance of control, opting to let it flap haphazardly in the wind.

He’d be back at the agency soon enough, anyway.

As he made his way down the streets of the city, he shivered uncontrollably. Even as the cold seemed to penetrate his very core and seep into his bones, he forced himself to keep walking. However, the lethargy was setting in. Maybe not having eaten anything all day wasn’t exactly a great idea. He didn’t care what Vector would say, when he got back, he was taking a very long and hot shower. He deserved that much at least, bills be damned.

As Espio entertained himself with thoughts of warmth, he almost didn’t notice the body right in front of him. He paused, looking down curiously. He didn’t expect to find anyone here in the back alley. It was a good shortcut to the agency but wasn’t often used as most citizens opted for the safety of the main streets. It was a hedgehog with greyish fur, wearing gloves with a strange cyan design on it. His fur was mussed and matted with ugly purple blotches. He pursed his lips, thinking. What was someone like him doing out here? In such terrible weather, too.

The chameleon nudged the hedgehog’s body with a foot. “Hey. You okay?” he asked, not expecting a response.

_He’s clearly not okay. But is he alive?_

Then he knelt down, abandoning the bag of groceries he held. He placed a hand on the other’s face, suddenly grimacing. The hedgehog was freezing cold, but at the same time, was burning up. His skin was clammy and sticky, and the torrential rain wasn’t helping either. The hedgehog needed help. He would die if he was left alone out here in the cold.

_I could just walk away. Forgot I saw anything. It’s not my place to do anything._

Espio sighed. He wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he just abandoned someone like this. He wasn’t a saint by any means, but at the same time, there wasn’t any harm in helping the hedgehog out. The chameleon didn’t trust strangers easily, but the poor thing just looked so weak and helpless.

After all, once upon a time, he himself was in the same situation. It was only thanks to the kindness of a certain crocodile that he was alive today. He had to return the favour.

Pulling out his phone, he contemplated calling an ambulance- but then decided that the ridiculous fees were not worth it. Vector had once told the chameleon himself that his funeral fees would probably cheaper than a week in the hospital if it came to it. Probably. Espio liked to think that Vector was just joking because he wasn’t prepared for the implication of him having the braincells to start a dialogue on their healthcare system.

So instead, he lifted the hedgehog and hoisted him on his back- or at least, tried to. Unfortunately, the silver hedgehog was far heavier than he expected. Grunting, he could only manage a few steps before almost dropping the other man. He sighed again, before opting to drag him across the ground as gently as he could- which is to say, not at all.

“Sorry.” Espio muttered quietly, glancing back at the hedgehog. “At least you’re not awake right now, huh?” he said. He continued to drag the unconscious hedgehog back to the agency, before suddenly stopping.

I feel like I’m forgetting something.

He paused, and soon the realisation hit him. “Be right back.” he said to the hedgehog, dropping him unceremoniously. He dashed back for the bag of groceries. He needed proper rice. He wasn’t about to endure that microwaved garbage in a pouch for another day.

* * *

“I’m back.” Espio announced, shuffling up the stairs. He looked around and found Charmy glued to the television, a controller in his hand.

“Welcome back!” the bee replied cheerfully. “Did you get the cereal I asked for-“ he began, before suddenly cutting himself off. His eyes widened at the sight of the silver hedgehog that Espio dragged in, his game forgotten. “Whoa, who the heck is that? Is he dead? Espio, did you kill someone-”

The purple chameleon shrugged and then rolled his eyes. The bee was playing too many of those weird video games. “Don’t know.” he said. “And no, I didn’t kill him. If I did, why would I bring the body back? I just found him passed out in the alleyway. Where’s Vector?” he asked.

“The boss is over at Amy’s place! Said something about a team meeting? I dunno.”

“Another tournament? Maybe he should give up the detective gig and become a racer full time.” he chuckled dryly.

Suddenly, Espio sneezed. “Okay, I’m going to take a quick shower.” he said, teeth clattering. He really needed to get out of those wet clothes. “Charmy, do you mind brewing some tea?”

“Sure thing, Es’! But uh, what are you gonna do with him?” Charmy pointed out, staring at the silver hedgehog.

Oh right. “I’ll figure something out,” Espio murmured, dragging the hedgehog into the bathroom with him. Closing the door, he looked back at the silver hedgehog. He didn’t show any signs of waking anytime soon. He placed him carefully in the tub, before slowly taking his wet clothes off.

Espio peeled back the layers of wet clothing that clung to the hedgehog, shimmying a sweater and shirt off his arms. Absently, the chameleon noticed how his chest was abundant in dirty white fuzz that was completely soaked… and then let out a sharp gasp when he saw the crimson stained fur. He placed a hand on the other’s chest, relieved that it only seemed to be minor scratches.

He began taking off the hedgehog’s pants. As the chameleon’s fingers curled around the belt loops and pulled them down, followed by removing the underwear in a swift motion, a small part of him figured he could at least be a little embarrassed about this. But right now, he was too cold to care. The sooner he got this over with, the sooner he could get back to being curled up his blankets, catching up on the latest episode of The Black Knight. They were both men, anyway.

And besides, Vector would have somehow turned it into a selling point. Yeah, he could see it now.

_Team Chaotix! Hire us for your hedgehog stripping needs!_

After drying the hedgehog as best as he could with his towel, Espio soon threw off his own clothes and then stepped into the shower, setting it to the maximum temperature. Hopefully, the residual heat from the steam would help rouse the hedgehog from his slumber.

_Come along for the ride,  
Truth can run but not hide…_

Espio hummed to himself happily, the hot water doing wonders for his skin. It scalded a little, but in an incredibly pleasant way. He could feel the tension in his body basically melt away. Maybe he’d get chewed out by Vector for driving up their gas bills, but oh well. The crocodile was going off doing another race, and maybe this time, the prize money would be substantial. Espio knew not get his hopes up, though.

He stepped out of the shower and glanced back at the tub. He suddenly heard a groaning coming from it. Wrapping a towel over his waist, he walked over, looking at the silver hedgehog. The hedgehog was blinking slowly, amber eyes darting around in uncertainty. Then they focused on the purple chameleon, suddenly lighting up with something that looked like… affection.

At this, Espio was struck with an intense wave of discomfort. His heart threatened to leap out of his chest, his throat grew dry, and his head throbbed with reckless abandon.

_Those eyes… I feel like I’ve seen them before._

But… how could that have been? He had never seen the hedgehog before in his life.

Said hedgehog decided to answer that question for him. “Espio! It’s really you!” he exclaimed excitedly, wrapping his arms around the chameleon’s neck and pulling him down.

“Uh, what-“ Espio managed to choke out, before he slipped on the wet tiling, falling into the tub by the surprising force of the hedgehog. He immediately recoiled away, but the confines of the tight space and his wet skin meant that he found his arms pinning the hedgehog down as he slid into a position on top of him.

“W-Wait! I’m not ready for that yet!” the other man squeaked. “I mean, I’m not against going all the way with you-“ he stammered out, before a blush crept on his cheeks. “We’re naked. Why are we naked?”

Espio could only blink in shock. “…Do I know you?” is all that he managed to muster up. Ideally, he would let a kunai against the neck do the talking, but he didn’t have his weapons with him. Perhaps he would have to consider keeping some in the bathroom- not that he expected being naked with a strange hedgehog in the bathtub to be a regular occurrence, but still. “We are not having intercourse,” he added on. In hindsight, he probably did not need to clarify that.

The silver hedgehog frowned. “What are you talking about, Espio? It’s me, Silver!”

Espio tilted his head. _Do all hedgehogs have weird names? To be fair, Amy is fine and Shadow gets a pass because he was made by an alien literally called Black Doom I GUESS- wait, that’s not the issue here!_ “I don’t know a Silver.” he said cautiously.

A crestfallen look fell upon Silver’s face. “You- you’re joking, right…?” he murmured hesitantly. “This isn’t funny. Knock it off.”

Espio shook his head. “I honestly do not have any idea as to who you are. I literally found you in the middle of the street, freezing to death.” he said bluntly. From the way the hedgehog was talking, it seemed like they were familiar with each other. But clearly that wasn’t the case.

“H-Huh?” Silver gasped. “No, that’s not right. I came back for you! Don’t you know what day it is today?”

“Tuesday?”

“Tuesday? Isn’t it Friday?”

Espio raised an eyebrow. “It’s clearly Friday. And what do you mean you were waiting for me? I’m sorry, but I really don’t know what you’re talking about.” he said. He peered into those amber eyes, trying to spark recollection in his mind… but apart from the strange feeling that coursed through his body, it was no use.

Silver didn’t seem to be all that there. He shook his head, a desperate look on his face. “No, no, no… this can’t be! Did I- did I mess up again? Damn it!” he cried, clenching his fist and slamming it onto the tub. The resounding crack did not sound promising.

The two heard a muffled buzzing noise through the door. “Es, is everything alright in there?” Charmy asked, concerned.

“I’m fine! Don’t worry, I’m just uh… rehearsing my lines.” Espio called out.

Then he turned back to Silver. “Hey, you break that thing and you’re paying for it.” he muttered. He grabbed the hedgehog’s wrist. “Listen, I have no idea what is going on, but freaking out isn’t going to achieve anything. Just calm down, and start from the beginning, okay?”

Silver nodded, taking in a deep breath. “Okay. This is pretty hard for me to deal with. But I’ll try. I’m Silver-”

As much as Espio hated to interrupt people when they were talking, he felt like he had to do something about the position they were currently in. “Uh… do you want to put on some clothes first? And maybe take this somewhere else?” he pointed out.

The blush returned to Silver’s face. “Y-yeah. Okay.”

* * *

“You’re from the future?” Espio remarked, sitting cross legged on his bed, facing the hedgehog. Actually, that wasn’t even the main thing that the chameleon was concerned about. After all, it wasn’t that far fetched considering how half the moon was destroyed once.

_You’re my boyfriend?_

Silver nodded. “Two hundred years. I came to the past in order to prevent a terrible calamity befalling my world.” he answered. “But actually, we solved that a while ago. I came back… for you. It’s our six month anniversary today.” he said quietly.

Espio was silent for a moment. He didn’t know how to respond to that. How does one tell their futuristic hedgehog partner that they don’t know they are? “I see.” he muttered. “Unfortunately, I have no memory of meeting an individual such as yourself.”

Silver’s shoulders sank. “Yeah. I think… I messed up.” he groaned. Then he perked up. “How old are you?”

“19. Why?” Espio asked, confused.

“…I went back too early. I don’t meet you until two years later. Shoot!”

The chameleon tried to offer Silver a reassuring smile. “Perhaps it was fate that we met like this.”

“No, it’s all because I was too weak! If I only knew how to master the power of chaos control.” Silver groaned.

“Can you not return to the future and try again?”

Silver closed his eyes. Then he shook his head. “I don’t have enough chaos energy. I’ll need to find an emerald. But that’s not even the problem here. Me coming here… has created an alternate timeline.”

“What?”

The hedgehog glanced away. “Think about it. Now that you know who I am, events might play out differently. You might have a different response to things. All of these small changes, they can have a drastic effect on the outcome. Which means... you’re not my Espio.”

Espio didn’t think it was possible to feel bad for someone he just met, but the sorrow in Silver’s voice was heartbreaking. He had sounded so hopeful when he saw him in the bathroom, but now, he spoke with dejected resignation.

“Maybe not, but that doesn’t mean I can’t help you. There must have been a reason why I fell in love with you, right? I don’t have bad taste.” he chuckled.

Silver offered a weak smile. “On the contrary, you have terrible taste.”

"Still, what actually happened? Romance was never something I was particularly interested in-"

Suddenly, the door slammed open. “OI ESPIO! GET YER ASS OUT HERE, WE NEED TO TALK!” Vector shouted, before his eyes landed upon the hedgehog. “Oh hey Silver! What’s up, dude?”


	2. the first day

For a while, Espio stood there in silence, shocked. Was he hearing Vector correctly? The crocodile was speaking to the hedgehog with a familiarity that was almost disturbing. Like they were old friends... but Vector had never mentioned having a history with a hedgehog from the future. Even if Espio did tune out his co-worker whenever he was a bit too enthusiastic about a certain rabbit, he would have remembered. He glanced between the two, a questioning gaze in his amber eyes. Returning the curious look, Silver shrugged and seemed to be just as confused. 

Vector blinked. "What? Why are y'all staring at me like that? Is there somethin' on mah face?" he asked, seemingly oblivious. 

Espio glanced away, wondering what to do with this sudden development. "You know Silver?" 

"Well of course I do! Espio, what's wrong with ya? How could you forget your own family? A dear member of the Chaotix!" Vector muttered.

"Wait, what?" the chameleon blurted out. He shook his head. "No, no. That can't be right," he said. At this point, it was more to reassure himself if anything. Silver wasn't a member of the Chaotix. He would have known. Charmy would have known, and the bee saw Silver as a stranger only moments earlier. There was just no way it made any sense. "It's always been the three of us. Right...?" he murmured. He looked to Silver for a explanation, but the futuristic hedgehog was lost.

"Er, Vector...? What do you mean I'm a member of the Chaotix?" Silver asked. He wrung his hands together, trying to appear calm, but Espio could hear the anxiety creeping into his voice. Was Silver always a nervous individual? He did seem to get flustered easily, judging from the reaction in the bathroom. Would the Espio that Silver knew try to comfort him? That's what any good boyfriend would do, right? But Espio wasn't that person. He wasn't sure if he could be. His hand settled on an awkward pat on the shoulder. 

Vector tilted his head, grasping his chin thoughtfully. "Jeez, what's with you two? It's like you've lost your memory or something!" he exclaimed. "Don't you remember? It was three years ago. A year after Charmy joined us. We were on that top secret case- the one where we really made a name for ourselves." 

Espio involuntarily shivered at the mention of the case. It was a nightmare that he buried away in the deepest recesses of his mind, hoping that it would never come to light again. Just his luck. He nodded, but something still wasn't adding up. "The one where we discovered that cult. One of the churches started spouting some nonsense about being able to see a god. What was its name again? That's right, Iblis." he said calmly, steeling his voice as to not betray the whirlwind of emotion that stormed inside. 

Silver's eyes widened at the mention of the name. "I-Iblis? No, that can't be!" he insisted. A barely audible cry left his lips. _"I gave up so much... and even then, it wasn't enough. Blaze..."_

The chameleon looked at Silver. Iblis had clearly struck a nerve in the hedgehog... but what? And what did Blaze have to do with anything? As far as Espio was concerned, Blaze was the princess of another dimension that Sonic had met in one of his adventures. The purple feline was polite, but guarded, and Sonic was quick to notice the similarities between her and the chameleon. On the odd occasion that she did visit, the two would often quietly reflect about their lives over a cup of tea. They weren't exactly friends, but they held a mutual respect for each other. The question was, who was Blaze to Silver?

Espio offered Silver a sympathetic look, but it soon withered away as the realisation hit him. Silver was a stranger to him. Even if he said he was his boyfriend, even if Vector said that he was a part of the Chaotix, Espio didn't know who this hedgehog was. And despite being told of their shared history, he couldn't shake off this strange feeling that he had. At the end of the day, Espio wouldn't give away his trust so easily. He _couldn't._ Just who was this Silver person, really? The answers seemed to be there but not really, like trying to cup water between your hands. Present for a moment yet slipping through the cracks. Grasping something that couldn't be truly obtained. 

But maybe, in another world, this could have been rationalised as hope. And maybe, hope wasn't the transience of water. It was real, it was alive, and it was a miracle created by the hands of a silver hedgehog.

Despite the murkiness in Espio's mind, one thing was clear. Just because he didn't know who Silver was, it didn't mean he couldn't learn. It didn't mean he couldn't try. 

"Silver, what's wrong?"

The hedgehog's voice came out in a hoarse breath. "...It's nothing." 

Vector raised an eyebrow quizzically. _Since when were things between those two so tense? I'm surprised they weren't all over each other when I went into the room._

Espio continued to speak, deciding to let it slide for now. It clearly wasn't nothing. He always hated it when people said stuff like that. What was the point in being so dismissive of your own feelings? All it did was make it harder for others to try and understand you. You weren't helping yourself. (Of course, he wouldn't admit that it was exactly how he used to be.) 

"Well, we found out that the so called 'visions' the followers received were actually hallucinations caused by a drug." he said. "It enhanced their physical prowess and cognitive function, but at the cost of some... severe side effects." he explained. He would never forget those glazed over eyes, lost in a delusion of a false god. Even when they fell to the ground, choking on their own blood, they never stopped claiming that they would seek eternal paradise. That was the day that Espio learned that not matter how many times he slashed at a training dummy, it would never prepare him for the resistance of someone's flesh. 

Vector grimaced. Clearly, it wasn't a pleasant memory for those involved. He could only be grateful that Charmy wasn't there to see such a horrific sight. "Right. And that's where we found you, Silver."

"What?" the chameleon and hedgehog both said at once. 

"What?" Vector repeated. "Seriously, how do you not remember? Espio, you rescued the guy yourself! He was gonna be used as a sacrifice, but then you came in and saved the day like a real hero! Actually no, you started throwing up because of all the fuckin' blood everywhere, and I'm pretty sure you were crying your eyes out- anyway, that's not the point. You took Silver away from that screwed up place and brought him here. Then he became a part of our family. We took him in because he had nowhere else to go. Paying it forward, yeah? Just like I did for you. Helped that he had a knack for investigating." 

"I did...?" Espio mumbled. He grit his teeth when Vector mentioned how badly he choked that day. He _really_ didn't want to remember. The acrid scent of metal in the air. The heat. Red, everywhere. He held his head in his hands, groaning. As much as he hated thinking about the atrocious incident, he tried to rack his brain for any clues. He rescued someone...? No he didn't. He clammed up, paralyzed in fear. Vector had to snap him out of it. 

Silver didn't seem to be faring any better. "I was about to be sacrificed for a cult?" he echoed.

"Uh, yeah. It was pretty traumatic for both of ya. You just... pretended it never happened." Vector said. "Listen, are you guys gonna tell me what's going on? You're acting really strange."

Espio looked to Silver, and then back to Vector. It was better to just tell the truth. "I don't know how to put this. But I genuinely don't recall anything about Silver." he admitted. "While I do remember that mission, there weren't any survivors that day." he said quietly. 

Silver glanced away. "I don't know what you're talking about either, Vector. I do know the Chaotix, but not like that. I'm from the future." 

Vector rubbed his eyes. "Wha-wha-what? Guys, are you yanking my chain? How do ya not know each other? And what the fuck do you mean, you're from the future?" he exclaimed. 

"It may be hard to believe, but trust me." Silver replied. "The future that I come from... is terrible. No, it's more than that, but words can't describe the horrors that I've seen. But... I do think there is something common to us all. Iblis." he said. "In my time, Iblis is an actual god. He is the raw power of the being Solaris made manifest and is also known as the Flames of Disaster. I came to the past in order to prevent him from bringing ruin and calamity to the world."

Vector's jaw dropped. "Okay then? What the heck?"

Espio had a hard time believing it too. Sure, the cult they took down was powerful, but not to that extent. But was it really a coincidence that they both dealt with the deity of Iblis? "So what happened then?"

"Well, I stopped him, with the help of you and your friends. That was when I first met you, Espio. And after that, I returned back to my own time. And while Iblis had disappeared, a new apocalypse had taken its place. The rise of the zombots."

"The what?"

"Ah, it was a nickname we gave to the metal virus that infected the entire world and transformed them into zombie like robots. So I returned to the past again, and we triumphed over Eggman and his forces. It was then that Espio and I got together." 

"H-Hold it. Is it okay for you to be telling us this shit? What if it, I dunno, fucks up the timeline or something?" Vector pointed out. 

"This timeline... is already strange." Silver answered. "Normally, I have perfect control when I jump through time, given that I have sufficient chaos energy. But this time, I think something went wrong. I landed two years earlier than I expected." he said. He bit his lip. "And my powers haven't been working."

"Powers?" Espio hummed. 

"Telekinesis. It's actually a lot more common than you would expect. Everyone has an innate ability to manipulate chaos energy to some extent. In the future, the air is polluted with saturated, unrefined chaos energy that causes mutations in certain genes- anyway, it can either enhance or, uh, _degrade_ your affinity for certain chaos manifestations. I was actually one of the lucky ones..." Silver explained with a sorrowful sigh. 

Espio wasn't sure if he understood even half of what Silver said, but he gathered that his 'boyfriend' could also time travel and move things with his mind. Wow. Still, chaos manifestations... Perhaps it wasn't so far fetched after all. His own mother told him that he had a natural aptitude for camouflage that even exceeded the typical ninja and that he had a 'gift.' 

Vector groaned, confused. "Okay, that aside, why doesn't Espio know anything about you? Even if we ignore the future part, he should remember the guy whose life he saved!"

"I really don't know." Silver said, dejected.

"If I may..." Espio began. He looked at his boss. "Perhaps you could be the one remembering things incorrectly. After all, when I got back home, Charmy didn't seem to recognise Silver. Surely he would know about our fourth member." he said. 

"What? That's ridiculous! In fact, Charmy was really excited that Silver came to join us." 

"But-" Espio protested. "He didn't know who he was. I can prove it." he said, heading down the stairs to grab Charmy. Vector and Silver followed. But just before he did, he noticed something at the end of the hallway. A dim light coming from the room there. Espio's heart skipped a beat. The guest bedroom hadn't been used for years, ever since Mighty decided to leave the Chaotix. So, who... or what could possibly in there? Unable to shake off the nagging feeling, he entered the room. 

"This is Silver's room." Vector said. 

"No way. It was empty yesterday... I swear!" Esipo cried. But as he continued to look around, he couldn't deny the fact that it was clearly occupied. A bed with sheets messily strewn over it. A succulent on top of a bedside table. And a photo in a minimalistic frame on the desk. The chameleon closed his eyes, a small part of him hoping that when he would open them again, the room would be completely empty, with only dust bunnies for company. Because that way, he could tell himself that everything was normal, and Vector was the one acting weirdly. But of course, he wasn't granted such respite from the sheer abnormality of today. 

He took a closer look at the photo. It was a picture of him, Vector, Charmy, and Silver, standing in front of what seemed to be a rollercoaster. They had wide grins on their faces. His hands began to shake. This was a month after the cult case. Having made a decent amount of money, Vector took everyone out to the amusement park. It was Charmy's and Espio's first time ever going, and it proved to be a highly enjoyable experience for both of them. Scary, but fun. It was a memory that Espio kept close to his heart, as embarrassed as he was to admit it. But... what was Silver doing there?

"Espio, it's been three years since Silver joined us. Of course he's gonna have his own room. Plus, we all went out to the amusement park to get our minds off of, you know..." Vector murmured, noticing how the chameleon was preoccupied with the photo. 

Silver was also staring at the photo. "...We went to that park on our second date." he said to Espio, yet his voice was distant. "You tried so hard to get me one of those massive plush toys, even though you knew the games were rigged." 

"I see..." was all that Espio could muster. He placed the photo down, unable to properly comprehend the cacophony of thoughts that was running rampant in his head. "Let's go see what Charmy has to say, yeah?" 

The three headed downstairs where Charmy was happily buzzing around the kitchen counter. "Hiay guys! I made you your tea, just how you like it. Green for you Espio, and milk and sugar for Silver! Oh, and coffee for Vector." he beamed, proudly presenting a few mugs.

Already, Espio was weary of the familiarity in the bee's tone. "Right..." he mumbles. "Hey, Charmy... when I came back from shopping earlier, was I with someone?" he asked cautiously. 

The bee tilted his head. "Well, duh. You were with Silver! You guys are basically joined at the hip." 

That was the final nail in the coffin. "You... you literally said you didn't know who he was!" Espio protested. "The moment I got back, you said I was with a stranger!"

Charmy buzzed in indignation. "No I didn't. I said welcome back home! Then I asked what you were gonna make for dinner, and you said you were gonna make sushi, and then Silver said the fancy salmon was on sale so you bought a lot of it even though I HATE salmon but then anyway you went to take a shower with Silver. Then Vector came back."

"What? Silver, tell him that's not what happened." Espio muttered, growing increasingly frustrated. Nothing was making sense. He glanced at the hedgehog who was dead silent. "Silver...? Silver, are you okay?" 

The hedgehog didn't immediately reply. He turned in on himself, gravitating towards the wall. But with his keen hearing, Espio could make out a muffled noise. "I'm _fine._ " Silver said, his voice cracking at the last word. 

Then he ran back upstairs, tears streaming down his cheeks. 

Espio didn't even need to think about it. He followed after him without a second thought, ignoring Vector and Charmy. The silver hedgehog was heading back into 'his' room. He picked up the photo, almost as if it was an incredibly fragile thing. 

"Espio... who am I?" he asked, voice hesitant and weak. His eyes were red and puffy. 

"I don't know." Espio said honestly. "I don't even know who I am now." He glanced at Silver's gloved hands. Is this the part where he would hold them, reassuring him that everything would be okay? He wasn't ready for that yet. But he didn't need to make that choice, because Silver did it for him. He squeezed his hand, interlacing his fingers between the chameleon's own. 

"C-Can we stay like this, for a moment?" Silver asked, allowing the vulnerability seep through the cracks. He was being selfish, asking Espio to indulge in his little request when it wasn't _his_ Espio. But he didn't care.

Espio didn't hate it, but he didn't particularly love it either. But... it was pleasant. And it felt normal. And really, that's all he could ask for right now. "...Yeah." 

And with that, the two were quiet, just holding hands. The words that were never said hung in the air. 

_We'll get through this, together._


	3. the tower

“We need to get to the bottom of this,” Espio said, pulling away from Silver’s hands. A small part of him was reluctant to let him go. There was something about the act of just holding hands that felt so familiar, and right now, familiarity was something that he really needed. The other’s hands were so soft and warm… it felt like they were made for the chameleon’s hands.

“Yeah.” the futuristic hedgehog replied. He sighed, holding his head in his hands. “It just feels kinda overwhelming, you know?”

The chameleon nodded. “I understand.” he said. His eyes landed upon the photo again. The two of them at the amusement park. Simple and pure joy on their faces. It almost felt strange, seeing himself so happy. “Well, why don’t we recount what we know? Maybe we’ll pick up on something we missed.” he proposed.

“Okay. Uh… where do I begin?” Silver murmured. “Alright. I guess we first met when I travelled back in time to stop the Iblis Trigger. I also met Sonic and the others back then. This would have been two years ago.”

The Iblis Trigger. In their investigation of the church, they discovered the holy scripture claiming that the Iblis Trigger was the one who would bring about the dawn of a glorious new era. The one who would resurrect Iblis and bring righteousness to the world. Though it seemed that Silver's version of the Iblis Trigger was something else entirely. At the time, Espio thought it was nothing more than the crazy ramblings of the followers of a lost faith. But thinking back on it, there was a particularly ominous line in the book…

_There are some wishes that prayer alone cannot grant, for a prayer is a wish in itself._

“Er… how old was I at the time?”

“21. But like you said, you’re 19 now…”

“I see. But according to Vector I first met you three years ago, when I was 16. I saved you from a cult. Or at least, that’s what he said I did. I really don’t remember. But if that’s true, surely there must be evidence that you always existed here. It can’t be a coincidence that Charmy believes the same thing.”

At this, Silver hummed thoughtfully. “Maybe it wasn’t me who existed in this timeline, but another Silver. And the same goes for you.”

Espio raised an eye ridge. “What do you mean?”

“Well, every timeline gives rise to a different version of one’s self. The things we do, the choices we make… even the smallest thing makes you different from the you a day ago. What I’m getting at is… if you’re not my Espio, then where is he?”

The purple chameleon was extremely confused by all this talk, but he tried his best to follow along. “…Hm. He would be residing in his own timeline, would he not? Perhaps there was a mistake in your time travelling ability which caused you to arrive here by accident.”

“Maybe… but then, what about ‘your’ Silver?”

“That’s a good question.” Espio said. “I’ve never known a Silver in my life…”

“Then could it be… that you’re not Espio?”

Espio blinked at this. “What? How can I not be myself?”

Silver wrung his hands and glanced to the ground. “You have no recollection of me. But I think we’ve always had a connection, in some shape or form. So for that connection to just mysteriously disappear sounds suspicious. There must be a reason for it.”

Espio didn’t like where this line of thinking was headed. He shook his head. “We’re not getting anywhere. Let’s just head back down.” he said with a sigh. He made his way down the stairs and was greeted by the sight of Vector and Charmy looking extremely concerned.

“Hey… you guys okay? Were you fighting?” the bee asked.

“Huh? Oh, no.” Espio answered. “We’re… we’re fine.” he said, hesitation creeping into his voice with the last word.

“You two were acting pretty strange… like you got amnesia or something!” Vector pointed out. “Listen, if something’s bothering ya, then as detectives, you gotta figure it out, right? I don’t think ya really believed me when I told you about how you guys met. So seize the truth for yourself!”

The truth. Espio never shied away from it, and he was never afraid to confront others with it. It was the heart of the Chaotix detective agency. Sometimes it hurt or wasn’t even good, but it was what was right. But for once in his life, the chameleon wasn’t sure if he wanted to know. In the end, truth was only what you made out it to be, the way you saw another perspective. And when you get told that you might not even be yourself, that resolve would start wavering.

“I’m not a detective.“ Silver protested.

“Some investigation is in order.” Espio affirmed. “But where do we begin?”

“Well, how about you go pay Amy a visit? It seemed like she knew Silver even before all this freaky cult shit began.”

“A-Amy?” Silver stammered out.

Espio tilted his head curiously. “Hmm. I do remember her approaching us about with a case. She said her best friend, a hedgehog, had gone missing. She was really worried about him and wanted us to find him.”

Her best friend, a hedgehog… could it have been Silver? He tried to recall the details that she had given him, but all that came up was blurry sensations. Why couldn’t he remember? It was as if something was blocking his memories.

“Yeah, that hedgehog was Silver. And that’s actually how we learned about the cult in the first place.” Vector said.

“Amy is a friend, but I wouldn’t call us besties or anything.” Silver added on. “I met her like I did the rest of you.”

“I wonder what could have happened…”

“Mm. Anyway, I’ll let her know you’re coming.” Vector said, taking out his phone. “Oh yeah, and can you take this with ya?” he asked, pulling out a bunch of papers.

“What’s this?”

“Paperwork for the next Grand Prix. I’m registering with Team Rose again.”

“…Sure.”

* * *

"...It's the middle of summer, why is it raining so much?" Espio muttered, looking up at the sky. The clouds were as dark as ever, but at least the rain seemed to be letting up. He held the umbrella over the two of them as they made their way to Amy's apartment. Thankfully it wasn't too far away from the agency. They walked along the streets, huddled under the umbrella. To the average passerby, it wouldn't be abnormal to note they resembled a couple given how close they were- though it was mostly for Espio's benefit, not wanting to become too cold. 

"Summer? It's the middle of winter. A little rain is to be expected." Silver said. Then he paused. "Today is December 21st, right?"

"Yes." Espio replied. Another pause. "That's summer." 

"Oh no..." Silver sighed. "Well, it doesn't matter."

"Even the seasons seem to be mixed up..."

And with that, the two continued to walk in silence. As they did, Espio would steal glances at the silver hedgehog from time to time. This man... was his boyfriend. It confused him. But at the same time, it didn't shock him as much as it could have, all things considered. A boyfriend... did that mean Espio was gay? He wasn't sure if he liked the implication of that. His clan frowned upon such relationships, and he couldn't really blame them. Two men could not produce an heir. 

But Espio never really felt any sort of attraction, to the same gender or otherwise. Romance wasn't something he payed particular attention to. He just didn't have the time for it, and as much as he didn't want to admit it, he didn't have the emotional investment required either. There was a time where he thought he might have had a little crush on Vector, but it was more so how he wanted to express gratitude to the crocodile for everything he had done for him. That didn't stop the others from making jokes about how he and Vector were Charmy's 'dads' even if the crocodile only had eyes for Vanilla.

Silver was attractive, conventionally speaking. The cyan gloves he wore complemented his ivory fur well. His chest fur always seemed so soft and fluffy. But clearly physical appearance wasn't the only factor influencing Espio's desire to seek a relationship with the hedgehog.

"You're thinking about something." Silver suddenly stated, peering up at him with those amber eyes of his. "What's on your mind?"

"It's nothing." 

Silver shook his head. "I know it's not nothing. Maybe you don't know me, but I know you. You always make that face whenever you're worried about something but don't want to inconvenience anyone about it." 

"Ah, I guess...?" Espio sighed. The hedgehog was right. "I was just thinking. How did the two of us get together in the first place?" he asked.

A nostalgic yet crestfallen expression appeared on Silver's face. "Well... it's kind of a silly story." he spoke softly. 

"Can't be any more silly than everything I've heard today."

"I suppose not," Silver nodded. "It was Shadow's birthday party. I mean, he doesn't really have a birthday, but you know what I mean. You were, uh, drinking quite a lot."

Espio groaned inwardly. He could already tell where this was headed. "I really hope I didn't do anything stupid."

"About that... you decided to go out for a little walk and get some fresh air. I came along with you because I also needed a little break from all the craziness. It was raining heavily that night, and I don't know, you thought it was a good idea to go out without an umbrella or some warm clothes.

"Oh no. And being cold blooded means I am more prone to the elements."

"Mhmm. But here's the funny part. You confessed to me all of a sudden. I don't know if you were just drunk or something, but you kept going on about how I was the light of your life and whatnot. Honestly, it kinda scared me. You were being strangely... affectionate?"

"Hey, I'm not that cold."

"I know, I know! Just caught me off guard, you know? I was happy, though. I've always had feelings for you, even if you were too dense to notice. You're calm, composed, but you can be a dork in all the best ways, and even if your singing is horrible, it's so you. But I guess it's your kindness that really drew me in." Silver said with a small smile. 

"I- I see." Espio remarked, glancing away. He could feel a small blush forming. Even though he never experienced it for himself, the warmth in Silver's voice made him feel like it really happened. He had never heard anyone refer to him with such fondness, and while it was a strange sensation, it wasn't unwelcome. "Still... I don't think I'm that great."

Silver tutted. "There you go again. I guess that part of you will never change. You're always trying to downplay everything nice about you. I know it's good to be humble, but you can't take a compliment at all. Which just means I have to speak up for the both of us!"

"That really isn't necessary." Espio awkwardly laughed. Looking into amber eyes, he murmured a quiet, "I'm sorry."

"Huh? What for?" Silver asked, confused.

"I'm... not your Espio. It must hurt, having these memories of a beloved partner, knowing you can't share in them."

"I guess that's true. But you know, that doesn't mean we can't make new memories together. You're a good guy, Espio. Always have been, always will."

Just as Espio was about to respond, his head suddenly pounded with the force of a thousand suns. He groaned, clutching his head in pain. And that's when he saw something... or rather, felt it.

_"You're worth more than a chance."_

_"But not like this! You would throw away the entire world just for one person?"_

_"You don't get it. A world without you isn't a world at all."_

"...Espio! Espio, you okay?" Silver frantically called out.

Disoriented, the purple chameleon groaned once again, looking up at Silver. "Ugh... sorry, I don't know what came over me. But I feel like I just remembered something important." he said. As he explained the strange sensation to the other, the hedgehog grew increasingly uneasy. 

"That doesn't sound like a memory. It feels like a... premonition." 

"Odd."

Lost alone in his thoughts, Espio couldn't help but to feel that there was something he was missing. 

_You're worth more than a chance._

* * *

"Using the spiritual energy that dwells within your body, manifest the answer you seek. Then take a card." Amy Rose said, and if weren't for the fact that the pink hedgehog was his friend, Espio would have written this tarot business off as utter nonsense. They had arrived at Amy's apartment and briefly explained the situation to her. For some inexplicable reason, Amy didn't seem to be all that shocked by their apparent lack of knowledge. Sure Vector had quickly filled her in prior, but it was almost as if she was expecting it to happen.

And now here they were, sitting on a bright pink sofa, staring at the mythical cards spread out on the coffee table. Amy insisted on doing a reading, claiming that fate would bring them together and guide the way forward. She wasn't exactly keen on directly answering their questions, opting to do so in such a roundabout way. Her reasoning was that 'destiny is never left to chance' which Espio read as her thinking that Silver and him had gone crazy and so, only an equally crazy- sorry, mystical- experience could break them out of it. 

Espio sighed, picking a card at random. He flipped it over, gazing at the image depicted. It was a tower that seemed to pierce the heavens itself, psychedelic blue and red flames surrounding it. But at the very top, it was struck by a strange bolt of purple lightning. 

"The Tower. I'm gonna be honest with you guys, this isn't great." Amy said, a pensive look on her face. 

"What does it mean?" Silver asked, not exactly enthused by her reaction. 

Amy pursed her lips. "Change. Awakening. And I don't mean that in the vague, spiritual way. Like, actually. The vibes I'm sensing? Something terrible is going to happen. Very, very soon. Or maybe it's already even happening." 

"That's reassuring." Espio commented dryly. Things were bad enough, and now they had just received an omen of more to come? "Is there anyway we can avoid it?"

"No," Amy replied. "Okay well, while the Tower isn't exactly sunshine and lollipops, it's not the end of the world. It just means you'll have to be prepared for the worst." she said. Then she paused, looking at Silver curiously. With a gasp, she clasped her hands. "The tower. I know why it appeared. It's talking about the bell tower."

Silver tilted his head. "Huh? What's that got to do with anything?" 

Espio had to agree. There was a bell tower in the middle of the city, built over 50 years ago. While it was a nice enough landmark, the chameleon didn't think it was that special.

A shocked look flashed across Amy's face. "You mean... you don't know?" she murmured.

"Listen, I'm getting tired of told by people I know but not actually that I should know this or that. Because I don't. And Espio is the same. So what are you talking about?" he sighed, irritation creeping into his voice.

Amy glanced sheepishly to the ground. "I get that, but this is something, um... personal. I don't think it would be right for me to tell you."

"Okay then...?"

"It's where we actually first met, Silver." Amy said. "Would have been five years ago." 

"Five years ago..." Silver echoed. "I didn't know any of you guys back then, but I guess this timeline's Silver did." he hummed. "How old was I?"

"14. And I was 12." Amy answered.

"I wonder what he was like. How does someone like you get involved with a cult?" Espio remarked. 

"I don't know. That's pretty crazy. But I guess he must have had his reasons." Silver said. 

"To be honest, the Silver I know was a bit different." Amy began. "He was more... angry. Had a really short temper. But he was also really apathetic. Like... he was bored. But you would never have known. He was always smiling, putting others before himself."

Espio wasn't sure what to make out of this. He had known Silver for less than a day, but he couldn't possibly view the ivory hedgehog as an angry person. Of course, it wasn't like he could remember a Silver that matched that claim, for the memories just didn't exist. 

"I see..." Silver trailed off. "Is there anything else you can tell me?"

Amy seemed like she wanted to say something, but then ultimately decided against it. "If things are really weird as they say, then I don't know if it can help. But I guess you should go to the bell tower. It might, um, trigger something?" 

"Maybe..."

"Alright. We should get going." Espio said, standing up to leave, but was promptly dragged back down by a pink hedgehog.

"Wait, we still need to finish the reading!" Amy protested. 

"Fine..."

As Espio was about to reach out for another card, his hand brushed against Silver's, who had the same idea. 

"Oh-" they both said at the same time, before looking away. Espio retracted his hand, letting Silver take it. The hedgehog flipped it over, and it revealed a card depicting two children and six cups. 

"The Six of Cups, in the Reversed position." Amy declared. She looked at Silver in the eye. "You're living in the past. Clinging to what ifs and past regrets. Not letting yourself change. Indulging in stagnation."

"W-wow. That sounds kinda bad."

"Ironic, because you can time travel apparently. Or is it because it's exactly that?" Espio pointed out.

A silence fell between the two, before Amy returned to shuffling the deck once again. Then Espio picked out another card. It was a man stabbed by ten swords.

"These are awfully morbid." Espio commented. 

"The Ten of Swords, in the upright position. A painful, yet inevitable ending. But at the same time, it can also suggest that you're playing a victim, hoping others will pity you and save you from despair." 

Espio blinked. "That doesn't sound like me."

"I don't know Espio, you always ask me to kill the bugs." Silver said jokingly.

"Wh-what? Th-that's not relevant! So what if bugs freak me out?" Espio crossed his arms. 

Amy giggled a little. However, a serious expression soon returned to her face. "Espio, it's a possibility. If there's a non zero chance, then the cards can and will reflect the fates that lay ahead. You might not like it, but it's what lies at the end all the same." 

Another silence. 

Then Silver spoke up. "Can we go now? I really want to check out this tower you mentioned."

"Yeah." Espio agreed.

Amy pouted. "Jeez, you guys! I put a lot of time and effort into my readings, and this is all I get? Normally a session like this goes for 100 Rings!"

"We can hang out another time, but this is really important to us. I just want to figure out what's happening before something else happens." Silver groaned.

"Fine... but you better treat me to that cute cafe that just opened up! The strawberry shortcake looks so good..."

"Oh, and before I forget, here's the paperwork Vector signed." Espio suddenly said, handing over the papers. Then he grabbed Silver's arm and began dragging him away. "Nice seeing you, Amy." 

"U-um? B-bye?" Silver stammered out.

The door clicked shut, and Amy was only just registering the fact that they had already left.

"They're so gay," she smiled to herself. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the late update! i've been busy with life aha. hope you all had lovely and safe holidays, and here's to a great new year!


End file.
